Lalu now introduces an SMS-ticket option

New Delhi, Feb 26: Announcing a slew of new passenger utilities Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, in his fifth budget, has announced the facility of ticket reservations from anywhere through mobile phones.

He said that his ministry is at an advanced stage of negotiations with several mobile service providers, and this could be one of big-ticket ideas in the Rail Budget. The idea is to deliver the ticket on the cell phone itself in the form of an SMS and a passenger would merely need to show this SMS to board and travel on the train, according to sources. Users will dial a designated number and interactive voice response systems will guide them. The ticket will be generated electronically and delivered in the form of an SMS. To prevent misuse, it will be ensured that one cannot edit or forward this SMS. The mobile company will have to guarantee security of the transaction. He has also announced measures targeting the customers including opening 15,000 automated ticket machines and doing away with the long queues at ticket booking counters over the next two years.

Smart cards will also be introduced for Mumbai train commuters and number of trains will be increased in the peak season along with the introduction of multi-level parking at 36 stations.